In case that a channel status between a base station and a user equipment is poor, it is able to provide a radio channel having a better channel status to the user equipment by installing a relay node (RN) between the base station and the user equipment. If a relay node is introduced and used on a cell boundary area having a poor channel status from a base station, a faster data channel can be provided and a cell service area can be extended. Thus, the relay node is the technology introduced to get rid of a radio wave shade area in a wireless communication system and is being used widely.
A recent relay node scheme continues to be developed into a further intelligent form, whereas a past relay node scheme if limited to a repeater function of amplifying and transmitting a signal simply. Moreover, the relay node technology corresponds to the technology mandatory for the service coverage extension and the data throughput improvement by reducing the cost for the base station establishment and the maintenance expense for a backhaul network in the next generation mobile communication system. In accordance with the ongoing development of the relay node technology, a new wireless communication system needs to support a relay node used by a related art wireless communication system.
In 3GPP LTE (3rd partnership project long term evolution) system, as a relay node is equipped with a function of forwarding a link connection between a base station and a user equipment, two kinds of links differing from each other in attribute are applied to an uplink carrier frequency band and a downlink carrier frequency band, respectively. A connection link part established at a link between a base station and a relay node is defined and represented as a backhaul link. If a transmission is performed by FDD (frequency division duplex) or TDD (time division duplex) using a downlink resource, it can be called a backhaul downlink. If a transmission is performed by FDD or TDD using an uplink resource, it can be represented as a backhaul uplink.
In order to support a relay node related link configuration, a user equipment and a base station of the related art implement one kind of a module of a transmitting or receiving module for uplink/downlink. Yet, it is necessary for a relay node to be implemented with two kinds of modules (i.e., a transmitting module and a receiving module) for both off uplink and downlink.
Thus, a relay node is able to transmit a signal to a base station in uplink and is also able to receive a signal from a user equipment. Moreover, the relay node is able to receive a signal from the base station in downlink and is also able to transmit a signal to the user equipment. However, when the relay node simultaneously transmits and receives signals, interference considerably increases and error frequently occurs. And, it is not preferable that signals are simultaneously transmitted and received.
Therefore, in order for a relay node to enables signals to be exchanged between a base station and a user equipment, a proper timing is required. However, a frame structure designed for a relay node to enable signals to be exchanged between a base station and a user equipment has not been proposed yet.